All plastic refrigerator door with integral bump stop handle

ABSTRACT

In preferred form, an all plastic refrigerator door including an outer panel and an inside panel having the sides thereof interconnected with one another to form side corners on the door. Rigid foamed-in-place insulation material fills a space between the outside and inner panels and reinforces a front planar extent of the door and the corners thereof against deflection. An integrally formed flange on the front panel extends outwardly and forwardly thereof to define a resiliently yieldable flaplike bumper for absorbing shock.

United States Patent Kesling Jan. 18, 1972 [54] ALL PLASTIC REFRIGERATORDOOR 2,970,347 2/1961 Massopust 49/401 x WITH INTEGRAL BUMP STOP HANDLE3,077,644 2/1963 Kesling 49/478 X 3,078,134 2/1963 Haynes, Jr. .49/478 X[72] Inventor: Keith K. Kesling, Vandalia, Ohio 3,314,196 1 9 Betz at g501 73 Assigneez General Motors Corporation, Detroit 3,403,477 10/1968Light X Mich.

Primary Examiner-David J. Williamowsky 1 Flledl 1, 1969 AssistantExaminer-Philip C. Kannan [21] APPL No: 881 074 Atlorney-W. S. Pettigrewand J. C. Evans [57] ABSTRACT [521 [1.8. CI ..49/460,49/478,34l92//53021d In preferred form an a plastic refrigerator doorincluding an [51] Int Cl Eosb 1/00 E06) 3/00 outer panel and an insidepanel having the sides thereof inter- [58] Fieid 501 5 401 400 connectedwith one another to form side comers on the door. I478, 5 6, 5 Rigidfoamed-in-place insulation material fills a space between the outsideand inner panels and reinforces a front 56 planar extent of the door andthe corners thereof agalnst 1 References Cited deflection. An integrallyformed flange on the front panel ex- UNlTED STATES PATENTS tendsoutwardly and forwardly thereof to define a resiliently yieldableflaplike bumper for absorbing shock. 3,201,833 8/1965 Bryson et a1..49/478 2,871,056 1/1959 Levitt ..49/401 X 1 Claims, 4 Drawing FiguresPATENTEDJANIBBYZ- 3534.971

SHEET 1 OF 2 J 1 Keith 11'. Healing \zy 522W ATTORNEY PATENTEflmzaM3.634871 sum 2 or 2 "82 INVENTOR 85 Keith K. Keslz'ng ATTORNEY Thisinvention relates to insulated doors for refrigerators and moreparticularly to all plastic refrigerator constructions having spacedpanels filled with rigid foamed-in-place thermal insulation.

In refrigerator construction it is becoming commonplace to have an allplastic door including an outside panel and an inside panel spaced withrespect to one another to form a volume filled with foamed-implacethermal insulation.

The panels are, for example, made from a strong plastic material such asABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene), expanded polypropylene polyvinylchloride and the like are fonned into intricate shapes by vacuum moldingor the like. Typically, for example, the inside panel may have shelvesand the like formed therein by the molding process.

In representative all plastic door constructions the plastic panels havea relatively thin section and in the case of certain constructions haverelatively sharp corners formed therein that experience stressconcentration.

. Furthermore, the thin sheet plastic that forms the front or outsidepanel is reinforced by the rigid foamed-in-place insulation againstflexure.

As a result, when the sharp corners of the door are impacted against anobject during movement of the door between its open and closed position,cracks may result in the outer panel.

A further aspect of all plastic doors is that an internally locatedreinforcing structure may be provided in association therewith for theconnection of door handles and the like.

An object of the present invention is to include a multipurposeintegrally formed member on the outer door panel on an all plasticrefrigerator that serves the combined function of an energy absorbingbumper and door operating handle.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an all plasticrefrigerator door of the type adapted to have one side pivotallyconnected to the refrigerator cabinet for movement between open andclosed positions and wherein the door includes inner and outer panels ofthin plastic material that are spaced apart to form a space forfoamed-in-place thermal in sulation that reinforces the thin sectionplastic panels and wherein the outer panel includes a resilientlydeflectable outwardly directed flange thereon which is located withrespect to the front comer edge of the pivoted door to protect itagainst impact loadings and wherein the flange is configured to form adoor operating handle throughout the full height of the insulated doorsection.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improvedside section on an all plastic refrigerator door having foamed-in-placethermal insulation for reinforcing spacedapart plastic panels; the sidesection including a bent comer integrally formed with the front of adoor which reinforces an integrally formed handle flange that extendsforwardly of the front panel at one side thereof through the full heightof the door and wherein the handle flange itself is relatively yieldableand located forwardly of the door comer to serve as an energy absorbingbumper at the side of the door.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention isclearly shown.

In the drawings:

FIG. I is a view in perspective of a two-compartment refrigerator withall plastic doors constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view in horizontal section taken alongthe line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view in perspective of a two compartment refrigerator withdoors showing a second embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view in horizontal section taken alongthe line 4--4 of FIG. 3.

Referring now to the drawings, in FIG. 1 a refrigerator is illustratedincluding a cabinet 12 having a front opening to a top food storagecompartment closed by a door 14 which has one of its sides pivotallyconnected by hinge pins l6, 18 to suitable brackets l7, l9 fastened tothe cabinet I2.

By virtue of this support, the door 14 is pivotable about the axisdefined by the pins I6, 18 from the closed position shown in FIG. 1 toan open position wherein the side 20 thereof sweeps through an arcuatepath forwardly and toward one side of the cabinet 12.

Additionally, the refrigerator cabinet includes a bottom compartmenthaving an access opening closed by a lower door 22 which is hinged atits side by hinge pins 18, 24 and brackets 19, 25 for pivotal movementabout a vertical axis on the cabinet 12 outwardly and forwardly so thata side 28 thereon moves through a like arcuate path.

In accordance with certain principles of the present invention each ofthe doors l4, 16 as is shown in FIG. 2 includes an outside panel 30 andan inside panel 32 each formed of a highstrength plastic material suchas ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene styrene) or expanded polypropyleneplastic.

Each of the panels 30, 32 have a relatively thin section. In the case ofthe inner panel 32 vacuum molding is used to form convolutions 34 toform compartments or shelves 36 on which articles are stored to belocated within the food compartment 38 of the refrigerator when the dooris closed.

As shown in FIG. 2 the inner panel 32 further includes a forward, sidestep 40 therein which terminates in a side edge 42.

A magnetic door seal 43 is secured to edge 42 by screws 45 and clamps 47around the perimeter ofpanel 32.

The front panel 30 is injection molded to include an integral,channel-shaped side 44 that has an inside leg 46, a side surface 48 anda front leg 50 which is integrally joined to one side of the front face52 of the panel 30 along the full height thereof. The seal screws 45fasten edge 42 to leg 46 to join panels 30, 32. A like channel-shapedside 54 is formed on the hinged side of the door.

The front face 52 has a planar extent which is greater than that of theaccess opening to the refrigerator compartment 38, and it along withside channels 44, 54 cover the sidewalls S5 of the refrigerator when thedoors 14, 22 are closed and serve to locate seal 43 in sealingengagement with the cabinet walls 55.

The thin sectioned outer and inner panels 30, 32 are spaced from oneanother through a predetermined distance to form a volume which isfilled by foamed-in-place thermal insulating material 57 such as apolyurethane foam insulating material. This material is characterized bybeing rigid and serves to prevent any substantial flexure of the wide,thin panels 30, 32.

Rounded comers 56, 58 on the channel 44 serve as transition radii forjoining the legs 46, 50 to the side surface 48. Since the outer panel 30is rigidly reinforced by foamed material 57 these points of stressconcentration can be damaged when impacted sharply against an objectduring pivotal movement of the door.

In accordance with certain principles of the present invention, thechannel-shaped side 44 defines a structural cross section which servesto reinforce the root portion 60 of a combination energy absorbingbumper and handle member 62 which is connected to the door 14 along theside 20 throughout the height thereof as is best seen in FIG. 1.

The handle member 62 includes a flange 64 integrally formed at its root60 to the front face 52 of panel 30 and the leg 50 of the side portion44 of outer panel 30. The flange 64 is perpendicularly connected to anelongated flaplike bent end 66 which is located in spaced parallelismwith the leg 50 of the front panel 30 throughout the height of the allplastic door.

Together, they form an open space 68 or pocket for defining a handgripto serve as an operating handle any place along the height of side 20.

In accordance with certain principles of the invention the handle member62 is resiliently yieldable upon impact with a stationary object toassume a shape shown exaggerated in dotted lines on FIG. 2 and therebyserves as a resilient energy absorbing bumper located forwardly of thecomer 58 and which functions to absorb kinetic energy when it impactsagainst a stationary object.

Thus, when the door 14 swings about the side hinge pins 16, 18 forwardlyand outwardly of the refrigerator door, it is protected by the handle62.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4 a refrigerator 70 is illustrated thatincludes a cabinet 72 having a top compartment closed by an upper door74 and a bottom compartment closed by a lower door 76.

In this embodiment the upper door is connected by pivot pins 78, 80 tobrackets 79, 81 on one side of cabinet 72 to be pivotally movable abouta vertical axis between open and closed positions.

Likewise the lower door 76 is connected by the pin 80 and a lower pivotpin 82 to midbrackets 81 and lower bracket 83 same side of the door fora like movement between open and closed positions.

In this embodiment of the invention, each of the doors includes anintegral handle and bumper configuration at each side thereof. Moreparticularly, the upper door 74 can be seen to include an inner plasticpanel 84 and an outer plastic panel 85. A like panel is present at theinside and outside of door 76,

The inner panel 84 in this case includes a side flange 86 which isdirected generally perpendicularly to a stepped portion 88 on the panel84 in the vicinity of the access opening 90 to a food compartment 92 ofthe refrigerator.

The outer panel 85 includes a front 94 having a planar extent in excessof that of the access opening 90 to the compartment 92. At each edge thefront 94 is integrally formed with an outwardly sloping face 96 which inturn is integrally joined with a side bumper 98 which is reinforced by arearwardly directed flange 100 that overlies flange 86 and extendsthroughout the full height of the front 94 immediately to one side ofthe sloping face 96.

Between the leg 100 and the flange 86 is connected a side portion 102 ofa seal element 103 that has a base 104 in seated relationship with thestep transition 88 on the inner panel 84 where it is held in place bysuitable fastening means such as an adhesive material to define areinforced laminated side.

The base 104 is joined to a yieldable bellows portion 106 of the sealthat in turn is integrally formed with an annular crosssectioned gasket108 in which is located a resilient strip of magnetic material 110.

When the door is in the closed position illustrated in FIG. 4 the magnet110 is attracted by a surface 112 formed on a metal liner 114 offerromagnetic material for the compartment 92.

The liner 114 is reversely bent on itself to form a front flange 116around the access opening 90joined with the outer cabinet wall 118.

Between the inner panel 114 and the outer cabinet wall 118 50 Portiontoward the from comer to is a space filled with rigid foamed-in-placethermal insulation A like open space formed between the inner panel 84and the outer panel is filled with rigid foamed-in-place thermalinsulation 122 such as blown polyurethane foam which serves to adherethe bent over end 124 of the seal element in place on the inside of sideflange 86.

As was the case in the first embodiment, the bumper 98 serves as acontinuous handle along the height of the cabinet door 70 and an energyabsorbing bumper since it is relatively resiliently yieldable withrespect to the front 94 into a position as shown in dotted lines in FIG.4 upon impact with a stationary object during door swinging movement.

This resiliency serves to insulate the comer region 125 between thesloping face 96 and flange against shock.

Furthermore, the comer region is reinforced by the side flange 86 and aseal side 102 therein.

While the embodiments of the present invention, as herein disclosed,constitute a preferred form, it is to be understood that other formsmight be adopted.

1 claim:

1. A refrigerator door adapted to be pivotally mounted on a refrigeratorcabinet for closing an access opening therein comprising: an inner panelhaving side edges thereon, an integrall molded one-piece outer panelincluding channelshape sides, each of said channel-shaped sidesincluding an inside leg and a front leg joined by a side surface, meansfor connecting each of said inside legs to the side edges of said innerpanel, said outer panel including a front face integrally connected toeach of said front legs at a point located forwardly of each of saidinside legs, said inner and outer panels having a space formedtherebetween, rigid foamed-in-place insulation material filling saidspace and the inside of each of said channel-shaped sides, an insidecomer formed by one of said inside legs and said side surfacesreinforced by said insulation material, a front corner formed by one ofsaid front legs and said side surfaces reinforced by said insulationmaterial, a combination energy absorber and handle member formedintegrally with said outer panel, said member including a flange havinga root portion joined at the juncture between said one of said frontlegs and said front face of said outer panel, said flange extendingoutwardly and perpendicularly with respect to said front face, a bentend on said member connected to an end of said flange at a point locatedin front of the front face, said bent end extending from said flange inparallel spaced relationship to said one of said front legs to locatethe free end of said bent end at a point terminating in front of thefront comer of said channel-shaped side, said flange and said bent endbeing resiliently yieldable when said member hits an object to causesaid flange and bent end to deflect from the root protect it againstimpact.

1. A refrigerator door adapted to be pivotally mounted on a refrigeratorcabinet for closing an access opening therein comprising: an inner panelhaving side edges thereon, an integrally molded one-piece outer panelincluding channel-shaped sides, each of said channel-shaped sidesincluding an inside leg and a front leg joined by a side surface, meansfor connecting each of said inside legs to the side edges of said innerpanel, said outer panel including a front face integrally connected toeach of said front legs at a point located forwardly of each of saidinside legs, said inner and outer panels having a space formedtherebetween, rigid foamed-in-place insulation material filling saidspace and the inside of each of said channel-shaped sides, an insidecorner formed by one of said inside legs and said side surfacesreinforced by said insulation material, a front corner formed by one ofsaid front legs and said side surfaces reinforced by said insulationmaterial, a combination energy absorber and handle member formedintegrally with said outer panel, said member including a flange havinga root portion joined at the juncture between said one of said frontlegs and said front face of said outer panel, said flange extendingoutwardly and perpendicularly with respect to said front face, a bentend on said member connected to an end of said flange at a point locatedin front of the front face, said bent end extending from said flange inparallel spaced relationship to said one of said front legs to locatethe free end of said bent end at a point terminating in front of thefront corner of said channelshaped side, said flange and said bent endbeing resiliently yieldable when said member hits an object to causesaid flange and bent end to deflect from the root portion toward thefront corner to protect it against impact.